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Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit. (AP) Last update - 19:38 15/01/2008 Egyptian FM says Israel incited U.S. Congress to withhold aid By Reuters Tags: U.S. aid, Egypt  Egypt accused Israel in an interview published on Tuesday of inciting United States lawmakers to damage relations between Egypt and the U.S. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit was referring to a Congressional threat to withhold e100 million in military aid to Egypt unless the Egyptians crack down on arms smuggling into Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamist group Hamas. Aboul Gheit, in the interview with the Egyptian newspaper Rose el-Youssef on the eve of a visit to Egypt by U.S. President George W. Bush, denied that relations between Cairo and the U.S. administration were tense over the smuggling question. Advertisement But he added that, "Israel has succeeded in inciting the U.S. Congress, and not the U.S. administration, by putting some sticks in the wheels of this relationship." Egypt has complained before about Israeli attempts to influence Congress, especially after Israelis circulated what they said was videotape of Egyptian security forces helping Hamas militants smuggle weapons through tunnels into Gaza. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Israel had fabricated the evidence and defended his country's record on smuggling. Aboul Gheit added: "Some people on the U.S. side adopted the Israeli position, and the U.S. aid program (to Egypt) came to be targeted... We succeeded in cutting Israel down to its real size as far as its talk about the tunnels is concerned." The minister said he thought the dispute was coming to an end after the United States offered to give Egypt special equipment to enable it to detect tunnels along the border. Visits to the border area by U.S. members of Congress and congressional aides have also helped, he added. Bush is expected to talk with Mubarak about the arrangements on the Gaza border. Related articles: U.S. Congressman: Egypt boosts effort to thwart Gaza smuggling Cairo warns Israel not to undermine Egyptian ties to U.S. Egypt fails to persuade the U.S. Congress to unfreeze funds Bookmark to del.icio.us   West Bank shooting Kiryat Sefer man, 40, sustains light to moderate wounds when terrorists open fire from passing car. Fighting words Barak vows to expand IDF operations against Qassam fire.   1.   sad but true 19:14  |  Omar 15/01/08   2.   Chit chatting 19:32  |  B. Schaepdryver 15/01/08   3.   True?? 20:04  |  Uzi 15/01/08   4.   Lavrov`s Pcture 20:11  |  FalluJah 15/01/08   5.   Stupid Haaretz 20:12  |  Omar 15/01/08   6.   Agree if.... 20:23  |  Tom 15/01/08   7.   Egyptian Foreign Minister? Or Russian one? 20:26  |  Oleg 15/01/08   8.   #3 Uzi 20:32  |  Mathew Kretzmer 15/01/08   9.   Egypt no longer has a reason to be zion`s friend 20:50  |  muslim 15/01/08   10.   Approved by the American people 21:27  |  Gina 15/01/08   11.   Not Israel, Egypt loses aid because they are a crappy ally 22:15  |  Dr. L. Brnd 15/01/08   12.   #1 Sad, but wrong 22:16  |  McQueen 15/01/08   13.   Does it matter? 22:26  |  Ahmose The Egyptian 15/01/08   14.   Stand tough aganist Egypt 22:52  |  Kenny 15/01/08   15.   Ahmose The Egyptian 22:54  |  alan 15/01/08   16.   to the whining Egyptians 22:55  |  Leila 15/01/08   17.   The basis for real alliance is democracy 23:09  |  Oleg 15/01/08   18.   #11 Say Doc, "parasites" you say? 23:24  |  ballistic 15/01/08   19.   #16 Leila 23:26  |  ballistic 15/01/08   20.   ##14 Say Kenny 23:31  |  ballistic 15/01/08   21.   Egypt and its DeepState.....again.! 00:05  |  Stephen.(Geneve) 16/01/08   22.   omar,egypt has already shown how much they care for their 00:23  |  terrornator 16/01/08   23.   Omar of Cairo.....isn`t that exactly what Hamas is? 02:10  |  Lynn 16/01/08   24.   To # 8 14:36  |  Uzi 16/01/08   25.   Egyptian FM 15:24  |  Uzi 16/01/08   26.   HISTORY OF PALESTINE !!!! 18:49  |  Betty 16/01/08   27.   To Allan #15 19:02  |  Ahmose The Egyptian 16/01/08   28.   #26 Say Betty in New York 23:15  |  ballistic 17/01/08

Today Online IAF strikes kill seven in Gaza; 40 Qassams fired at Israel Responses: 255 Israel Harel: No point in talks if Arabs won't accept Jewish Israel Responses: 110 Barak vows to expand IDF operations against Qassam fire Responses: 102 Na'ama Sheffi: New talkback law does not hinder public dialogue Responses: 53 Amy Winehouse mulls album of 'cool' Hanukkah hits Responses: 43 Rosner's Domain Brzezinski against the right of return (WTR) Poll: Can Joe Lieberman convince Jews in Florida to vote for McCain? Secular Israelis don't care for American Jews' opinion on Jerusalem Why Bush did not say "a Jewish State" (WTR) Rosner's Mailbox: And what if Obama's a Muslim? More Headlines 23:29 IAF strikes kill seven in Gaza; 40 Qassams fired at Israel 20:16 Israeli civilian wounded in West Bank shooting attack 21:30 Berlin Mayor, Jewish Council slam attack on Jewish teens 23:06 Barak vows to expand IDF operations against Qassam fire 20:37 Former Nazi guard loses Canadian deportation appeal 22:33 Canadian FM puts Israel, U.S. on torture watch list 22:10 Ahmadinejad: 'The Zionist regime' would not dare attack Iran 16:54 Hamas: Shalit in good condition, not in danger of being harmed 17:39 City in Czech Republic bans neo-Nazi march slated for weekend 18:42 Security forces thwart Jihad plan to bomb T.A.-Jerusalem railroad Previous Editions Select Day 16 jan 15 jan 14 jan 13 jan 11 jan 10 jan 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 04 jan 03 jan

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